Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-03

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In the future, people may no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash. All payments may have to be made by card or using phones. Do you think this will happen one day? Why do you think some people might not be happy to give up using cash?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.0)

It argues that individuals may stop utilizing cash for purchasing their things, and digital banking and cards may be used for payments. I believe that people may adapt this trend because it saves their valuable time while others may not accept cashless trend due to a scam of steeling money.

To commence with, being cashless helps people to save their plenty of time. When people are out of town to buy things there, it is very hard for them to keep the cash and withdrawal money all the time. So people will prefer to pay digitally, it leads to saving their precious time. For example, in developed nation, the banks has announced that bank accounts will be attached to online payment so that people can make the payments easily and no need to find ATM machines to withdrawal money. However, I believe that it can bring comforts in human life, it will be a big reason of steeling money because of fraud.

Moving towards the not choosing cashless method for payment is modern technology scams. If technology has given us more comfortable lifestyle, it also has a negative side, which is being used by scammers to make people's bank account empty. So, many people want to pay by cash so that their valuable income can be saved. For example, in Canada, most people are using technology to scam people, and the number of this is increasing more than 2 percent each year. In my opinion, people must pay by cash so that they can save their earning for a long time.

In conclusion, although, cashless trend may benefit citizens by saving their time, people will give priority to cash for payments because they will not be victim of cheaters.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for public resistance. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'scams' is repetitive and lacks depth. The example provided about Canada is vague and lacks specific context, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more nuanced explanation of the 'why' behind the trends discussed, rather than relying on general statements about fraud or time-saving.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'However', and 'In conclusion', though some transitions feel mechanical or slightly forced. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences within paragraphs is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition from the benefits of digital banking to the risks of fraud is abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother logical progression between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'scam of steeling money' (should be 'theft' or 'fraud') and 'withdrawal money' (should be 'withdrawing cash'). The repetition of words like 'scam' and 'money' limits the range. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more precise collocations and a wider variety of topic-specific vocabulary related to finance and technology, while ensuring that spelling and word forms are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow, such as 'the banks has announced' (subject-verb agreement), 'no need to find' (missing subject), and 'it will be a big reason of steeling' (incorrect preposition and spelling). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and proofreading for spelling errors would significantly improve your score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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